I had the queerest dream last night-
The basic premise was this: In their sleep, every single person on the planet earth was given a small, strip of paper with simple directions on the back.
"Write the name of one person on this. If this person's name is written they will live. If nobody on the earth writes a name, that person will die. For every extra time your name is written, you receive an extra ten years of life. If you write your own name, the penalty is automatic death. They will be received in one week."
These directions were understandable in all languages, and after a couple dozen deaths from people writing down their own names, nobody questioned the legitimacy of the notes. As it happened, people went to ridiculous lengths to get their names written. Businessmen were paying millions to get their hated names written down just once, and many of them did. Pastors of churches lied to their congregations to get decades upon added on to lives that should have been ending. As for my family, we decided to save each other. My father wrote down my mother, and vice versa. My young brother and sister chose to save each other. As for my brother and I though, we wrote down the names of two Mexican sisters, making sure that those two would be saved no matter what happened. As it turns out, they returned the favor. The lives of my family were all safe.
For a week, this was the only topic of conversation in the entire world- who's names were written? Youth my age from fragmented families were going to desperate measures to save their own lives- threatening death, taking valuables, or worst of all, holding others paper hostage. Throughout this time, I knew I was safe, and my paper was used up. I was little more than an observer of what was happening.
Finally, one week passed, and the results were shown. Approximately one-quarter of the Earth's population perished. Several people I knew were killed, but fortunately, nobody I was very close to. Somehow, I was lucky. I got an extra ten years from my mother. Of all the lives on the planet, she chose mine... her baby to make sure was safe from harm.
Some other things happened too, but honestly I can't really recall. It's amazing what the mind can idly conjure up, isn't it?
That is incredibly interesting. It's really amazing what our minds can come up with.
ReplyDeleteThat would make a really neat book/movie. It would make everyone stop a second, and wonder... who would they write down? And what will others do to get their name written?
Your mind was right on that one note though... Out of the many people I know, love and cherish- your name would be on my paper.